Ways Small Businesses Can Improve Delivery Services

Customers have the power to make or break a small business. This means that providing good customer service is very important, but how can you deliver excellent customer service? One of the best ways to do this is by improving delivery services.

Read on for ways your small business can improve delivery services, in order to increase customer satisfaction.

Drivers and Customer Service

Whether you choose to outsource shipping or use your own fleet, delivery staff are an essential part of the customer experience. For customers, drivers help to form their opinion of a business – this is particularly true for online business where this is often the only human interaction. To improve delivery, make sure delivery staff have received customer service training.

Accurate Addresses

This may seem like an obvious point but it’s all too easy to make an error in a customer’s address. This can result in a package arriving late or not at all, leading to a disappointed customer, bad feedback and a loss in revenue through order replacement. To avoid human error, you could consider purchasing address software to ensure addresses are correct.

Communicate Often

When it comes to both customer service and delivery, communication is vital. Aim to update customers at every stage, from confirming orders to providing delivery notifications. Always give customers tracking information and if possible, offer a one or two-hour delivery time slot – no customer wants to wait at home between 9am and 9pm for delivery.

Provide Delivery Dates

When customers purchase online, available delivery options typically state a window, e.g. 3 to 5 days. However, your customers are busy and want to know when their items will arrive, so show them you value their time by providing an estimated delivery date before purchase. This helps to improve the overall customer experience.

Outsource Delivery Services

Outsourcing to a shipping specialist can help businesses to provide customers with better delivery services and improve customer experience. Couriers like Whistl UK operate a huge delivery network, so you can offer customers a larger variety of shipping options and lower delivery prices.

Use Branded Packaging

A great way to improve delivery services while also reinforcing your branding is through packaging. Shipping items with care and correct packaging is important, but using branded packaging can create a great impression. It is also a good opportunity to reiterate your brand’s story, whether your business is all about ethical products or the latest tech.

There are many ways to go the extra mile for customers, including rewarding loyalty and saying thank you. However, improving your delivery services ensures that the final stage of the process is positive and helps to boost customer experience.